sarah331

The only thing I'll add is that when it was time for my husband and I to try, we knew and it felt right immediately. I think your indecision is actually speaking volumes for your decision :) Also, starting a family a 24 is still young!! I was 25, almost 26, when my twins were born. Young!!! Good luck :)

I didn't read all the replies. But if you think physiologically, we are made of nerves, biochemistry, and water. This, plus something we don't know scientifically yet, create us as "soul." So it would make sense to me that the "something we don't know scientifically yet" would also be made of matter. That seems logical to me. And as a caveat, I do hope we never discover that "thing" that makes a soul -- I do hope it is a higher matter that is always above our Earthly understanding. :) It helps make Earthly life a little magical.

This discussion has been enlightening, as an investigator. Thank you! And I think I align a bit with Wingnut in the beliefs v religion discussion. I appreciate seeing the interconnectedness through this discussion. Thank you all!

Ooooh I do wish I could do this!! It's harder than it seems, though, especially since what I want to do is teach underprivileged youth and that unfortunately doesn't pay well enough for me to pursue. However I am looking forward to when my kids are old enough that I can again start doing this for free on weekends :)

Honestly, most people I know aren't doing much directly related to their degrees. They get a job out of college that's related, that they like, and it evolves into something else. I'm 27 now with a writing and renaissance literature background, and am now working with grants. I'm trying to evolve even more :) I may not like my current position but I do enjoy working with the grants!! I think it takes time and an open heart. Look for jobs that really interest you, that use a lot of your skills and interests. Be creative! Also feel free to interview people, etc., to see what skills they were surprised they were able to use in their current position, what they like, what they wish they had a background in before starting, those sorts of things. It's *very* common and I think could be beneficial in your instance.

Ack, you're right, I'm sorry. I was trying to only quote the section s/he mentioned that was relevant. Apologies.

Hmmmm I think you're mistaken in correlating this with the BoM. It seems more like a comparison of Doctrine and Covenants...? Which, and please correct me if I'm wrong, they do addend with revelation as it comes. Think Proclamation of the Family and the 2nd addendum regarding priesthood for black members.

It seems you're devaluing some of the BoM's teachings because they may not *literally* apply to you -- because you are not a Nephite, etc. However, as we see FROM the speeches from the prophets and apostles, we can *apply* the BoM teachings to pretty much every aspect of our lives. The application, of course, will change with time and circumstance, in some ways at least (thinking of how in the April '13 conference one of the apostles mentioned being honest in our social media interactions in marriage) . The root of it and the lesson remains the same. I think if you get caught up in the *literal* truth instead of the *spiritual* truth you will be continuously disappointed in the BoM.

Just catching up -- My dad just got a new programming job at 51. He got his first at 35 and he had no direct experience prior, just transferrable skills. Worked his way up to upper management before the company went under. If you've got the skills, they'll recognize it.

So then could you have a civil ceremony, not legally binding (so just a ring ceremony or the like), and then get sealed less than a year after? Honest question, not LDS (yet) so I don't know.

Oh I will add that at home it's on my phone, which is easier to restrict. I'm hardly on my computer nowadays at home, which is nice. If I start to feel I'm using my phone too much I just turn all mechanisms to access internet off.

I do, I've been praying and battling it lately. But it's also hard because my work is so much at a computer, and I need the internet to access documents, databases, etc. So it's hard to physically limit the time. Going to keep praying and working at it :)

I didn't read all the replies, but why don't you do the temple sealing first, then to the American-traditional wedding after? Even if legally you're married when you do the sealing, I think completely separating the sealing from what your family thinks of as a wedding might help. Then, you can bring in some sealing concepts to the "ceremony" for the wedding -- not wording, that's sacred, but concepts. Write your own ceremony and have a Bishop officiate. For the record I think you should do what you want and what you feel is right (how you're prompted) but I also fully understand your family's position. ETA if you write your own, you may be able to use it as an opportunity to educate without being pedantic, if that makes sense.

I agree w Bad Wolf, find the commonalities and talk about those.

Hmmm so while, in the context the OP wrote, I can understand the hesitation to bring up Heavenly Mother in a testimony meeting, what if the concept of Heavenly Parents IS a deep part of your testimony? Doesn't it make sense to mention Her, hopefully leaving out the politics of it? I'm thinking something along the lines of "I know I have a Father and Mother in Heaven."

This whole thread is interesting to me! I've been wondering if a belief in Satan is necessary in Mormonism. It's not something I'm totally convinced of if we're talking about the Faustian devil but the thought of a force more comparable to the spirit in form makes sense to me. Keeping people from questioning their choices, tempting them, etc. So thank you for this whole thread! I appreciate the insight, and as always, it came at the perfect time :)

Also, Bad Wolf, I would maybe change "a failure of language" to "a failure of translation." I'm positive there are concepts/words/ideas in Bible that weren't translated to the fullest understanding because of our limitations as humans.

In Jews and the Lotus, a rabbi, in a discussion about Noah and the flood, mentions that God was "young" then. I kind of like that answer. The foreknowledge and omnipotence comes into play a lot, too, but I have to wonder if, if we're talking eternal progression literally being eternal, if there isn't some truth to God changing/growing. But I would say those changes would be beyond our comprehension in a lot of ways, since we've still got a lot of progressing to do to even get to a "young" God point. Does any of that make sense? It's actually something I've been contemplating lately, how that rabbi's comments might fit into Mormonism. But it's obviously not something I'm well articulate about.

My understanding is some Mormons interpret the WoW ban on coffee/tea to include all caffeine. My husband's family growing up was mixed, lol. His mother has kept away from all caffeine and his father was more liberal about it (he was a convert, though, I don't know if that affected his thinking). I've personally been trying to live the WoW pretty conservatively while I investigate just so I can be of totally clear conscience if I decide to convert. So far I have felt the blessings already :)

Thanks! Not yet a member but thanks for pointing out that talk for me :)

That makes sense. Thanks!

I'm just curious but what about then addressing both? As Heavenly Parents? I don't necessarily think it's wrong to pray to Heavenly Mother, other than it hasn't been revealed. There's something I like about, say, a mother in labor reaching out to HM in a very quintessential female situation. But I'm okay with not praying Her, too -- again, as it hasn't yet been revealed. Just curious about the lumping of them as Parents, if that is considered "okay."

^ Yes. I don't even know how you can talk about Her without admitting that you're speculating. Which I think is fine but I think it's important, like you said, to admit that you're talking about unrevealed, unknown things. I like thinking about what She's doing up there but I know I don't *know* anything about it.

I love that Heavenly Mother is entering into conversations more. I love that She's sacred but honestly She is a huge, huge part of what drew me to the Mormon beliefs of God. I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about Her, personally. Here is a great article summarizing the difference between doctrinal and cultural approaches to Her: http://byustudies.byu.edu/PDFLibrary/50.1PaulsenPulidoMother-482bf17d-bbc5-4530-a7cc-c1a1b7e5b079.pdf My LDS brother-in-law sent it to me when I started asking about Her.

Oh good question. I'm investigating and I have one.